Harpoon UFO Hefeweizen
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UFO beer has nothing to do with little green men, but I’m starting to think I should have consumed this hefeweizen last week before I saw the new Star Trek movie. I’d have been able to litter this review with puns about Captain Kirk and busty, green women; and UFO Hefeweizen wouldn’t have been in the unenviable position it’s in now — batting cleanup after a Double Pale Ale and an Imperial Stout!
So if this beer didn’t come from outer space, why do they call it UFO?
The initials are used because the beer is Harpoon’s “Un-Filtered Offering”, a line that started with Hefeweizen and has expanded to include a UFO Raspberry Hefeweizen and UFO White, the newest.
Full disclosure — my bottle of UFO is almost exactly one month past its best-by date. With that in mind, it wasn’t too bad.
UFO poured a pale yellow, filling my hefeweizen glass with a hazy lemonade color. It produced a thin white head — but I had reserved the last third of the bottle for a magical hefeweizen “swirl and pour” maneuver, and the final result was a full, frothy head. Harpoon suggests a slice of lemon for a garnish, but I skipped it to focus on the taste of the beer.
The aroma was lemony, with just the lightest hint of orange zest. I was disappointed with the taste, but I’ll blame that on the old beer (I’ve enjoyed UFO Hefeweizen on tap and in the bottle many times over the last few years). It was still crisp, yeasty, lightly lemon-sweet but also pleasantly bitter and zesty.
UFO’s line of beer has its own website, which describes the Hefeweizen as:
The aroma has a faint but clear citrus-like character. This is produced by the special yeast and accounts for the Bavarian tradition of serving hefeweizens with a lemon. The lemon accentuates the yeast’s fruity, tart fragrance. UFO has a soft mouthfeel and a refreshing, light body. The wheat malts and subtle hopping give the beer a mild, delicate flavor. UFO has a clean finish. Unlike some imported hefeweizens, UFO does not have the spicy, tropical flavors typical of European-brewed style.
Personally, I like the spicy, tropical flavors found in European Hefeweizens. So I’m actually quite interested in trying the UFO White, which should have more spice and character; with luck, I’ll spot a bottle of UFO White this summer.
So if any of you hear me talking about looking for UFOs, don’t worry — my one beer a day experimentation is the only probing taking place…
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1 Comments
May 20th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
I, too, have had mixed experiences with this beer. I bought a six-pack earlier in the spring, and thought it was great – it had the flavor complexity that you want in a good hefe.
My beer for May 16, however, I did not find as enjoyable. I had a wheat beer from a local brewery (Lonerider – http://www.loneriderbeer.com/) that left the UFO really seeming weak in comparison.
My impression now is that this beer is worth a try, if you get it fairly fresh. Otherwise, there are better options in the style likely available.